Fun, frolic and excitement reaches its crescendo during the auspicious occasion of Thanksgiving. Traveling, party, feasting all increase manifold during this time with family, friends and relatives sharing the spirit of togetherness. It is one of the busiest time of the year after Christmas and New Year with sky ways jammed, roads snarled with traffic and trains filled to capacity. It's the time to pack one's bag and set out for a relaxed vacation to the most sought after, coveted travel destinations or simply unwind at some far off desolate place. Some adventurous spirits are even eager to experiment and venture out into some unconventional holiday destinations. As people tend to be busy during the rest of the year, this is the time when they often make plans to visit their native places to meet their loved ones or leave for new holiday destinations with their families.
With traveling scenario being quite conducive traveling no more poses to be a big issue. Airlines offer attractive discounts for those booking way in advance, hotels too offer rooms at affordable rates to court the public in this festive season. Many hotels are smart enough to cash in on this festival by including special programs catering to the varied interest of people belonging to different age groups, the idea behind it being appealing to the mass and not just one section of the population. In order to lure tourists, activities such as rock climbing, bowling, golf, and tours of nearby historic places of interest as well as lavish feasts comes complimentary with one's hotel bookings. Various tours and travel agencies have special travel packages encouraging more and more people to travel round the globe. For adults these vacations poses to be an escape from their daily drudgery, while for the children it is a short break to enjoy their holiday away from their usual routine study. Trekking seems to be a good idea for those adventurous souls who may be ready with their adventure gear and all set to hit the rocky mountains. One can also opt for a country getaway or a historic place may be not to brush up one's history lessons but to get a feel of the place as it was many years back. There are also many cruises lined up offering heavy discounts to attract people who may have their heart fixed on the sea.
Let us sort out a list of places that one could perhaps make a tour of during this Thanksgiving, packed with fun and entertainment aplenty. For instance, the National Historic Landmark property, a famous resort at Bretton Woods in New Hampshire, has a harvest feast plus festive weekend with family turkey-trot, flag football, kids camp, along with a story-telling session with Santa, especially for the kids. You can also opt for the beautiful island resort in northeast Florida which has historic town and fort, nature tours and beautiful resorts that celebrate Thanksgiving in large scale. In fact another bewitching place, which is in fact a 1350 acres of land complete with beach, marshlands makes a perfect getaway during Thanksgiving. For instance, on Thanksgiving weekend, there is a Grand Buffet, Pumpkin Pie Eating contest, Just For Kids dinner party and much more exciting activities lined up. Again another splendid resort in Florida, located just two hours southwest of Orlando, organizes special programs for the occasion like the comedy shows under circus tents, Grand Buffet and a special show. The idea of booking a room at one of the most renowned hotel in West Virginia is also quite thrilling, as the hotel prides itself of having an absolutely traditional Thanksgiving feast like turkey and venison roast are served by the innkeepers in 18th century clothing.
If, for long your kids' requests have gone unheeded, then Thanksgiving is the best time to ensure that the fond wishes of these delicate souls are taken care of by planning a surprise trip to the fun-filled Disneyland and Walt Disney World. You can be assured of seeing a broad smile flash across their face, as they shake hands with their favorite cartoon characters. The beautiful decorations, special shows and parades performed in these Disney theme parks are surely going to leave children and adults in a state of wonderment. It's time you can pose to be different by opting out of the world famous Thanksgiving Day Parade, held in New York City and instead watch the "Orlando Christmas Parade" to be held in the town of Orlando on November 25th, 2006, which has off late become the largest nationally televised parade in the south-east.
This year you can fulfill you dream of paying a visit to New England, traditionally claimed as the land of the Pilgrims. This historic place has a host of interesting places to make a tour of. There is the Plymouth Rock commemorating the landing of Pilgrims, Pilgrim Monument, America's tallest granite structure, located in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod. You can also visit the history museum called Plymouth Plantation which remains open from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. You can also take a tour of the architectural structure May Flower II, which seems to be a mirror image of Pilgrim's original ship, now docked near Plymouth Rock. An archaic colonial inn, a 300 year old sea captain's mansion in Yarmouthport, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod offers a four-night Thanksgiving weekend package that is inclusive of an old-fashioned turkey dinner. Lincoln Park, a gaming operation in Lincoln, Rhode Island, hosts its annual Thanksgiving Breakfast Buffet on Thanksgiving Day with turkey served for breakfast.
To ensure that you have a hassle-free vacation, there are certain strategies you can follow which will help you to keep costs low as well as avoid all difficulty in finding the best travel deal. You can fly on off-peak days, meaning you can depart before or after peak dates or even on the holiday itself. Booking rooms in off-peak destinations can save you thousands as well as ensure a room at an upscale hotel without having to worry about accommodation. As a consequence, seaside resorts are a good place to look for great deals. This year you can plan a trip to the Caribbean, for winter is not the peak business time of the year there. If you for long had a secret wish of paying a visit to Europe, then this is the golden time to do so as November is the beginning of low season in much of Europe for Europeans don't celebrate Thanksgiving, thereby one can avail of best bargain with discounted airfares at your display. Places such as London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Barcelona or Prague can be visited by having to purse out less money for the same trip which may cost you a fortune at the time of spring or summer.
Traveling and fun are synonymous to each other, so it's wise to fix a budget, plan your trip accordingly and make bookings way in advance to avoid all hassle of last minute arrangements. Booking is only a click away with Internet sites offering you a host of destinations and hotels to choose from. In short, Thanksgiving is the time to express gratitude for having time to spend quality time in the company of your dear ones and spread the feeling of warmth and cheer all around.
Sean Carter writes on holidays, Thanksgiving Day and world events. He also writes on family, relationships, Christmas, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry and writes for 123greetings.com. He is an active blogger at Thanksgiving Blog
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Carter
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Spirits of Lemuria
The Nefilim: Angelic Conquerors Spirits of Lemuria
Our neighbors throughout the centuries have not simply been the giants and ghosts and angelic beings I have talked about in other stories, or for that matter the Shinning Ones, aliens but also the Spirits of Lemuria, whom are a little different, yes indeed, a different breed.
We must first look at Atlantis. When the Watchers and the Nefilim inhabited the earth, they slept with the women of Atlantis, as well as with the women in and around what man has called the Garden of Eden where the tree of life remains to this very day in and around the mouth of the Persian Gulf, in the Middle East. This is where King Gilgamesh of Ur went looking for eternal life, found Noah and lost the gift in the waters thereabouts, another legend of sorts.
Atlantis was the Kingdom of the Atlantic or put another way, the Empire of the East, and Lemuria was the kingdom of the Pacific, and again, one could say the Empire of the West. We shall have to travel back into the time of Leo, about 10,500 BC to about 9600 BC to visit this land and city of sorts. The war of the worlds took place sometime within this time frame also. And the angelic forces that inhabited the world, which bred several forms of life, one being the giants of the Watchers, half-breeds you could say; who were half sprit and half man. Some did not need to eat, others had to; King Gilgamesh of Ur, around 2700 BC was such a half-breed, and with supernatural strength, like the demigod Hercules, whom was also a hybrid steaming from this premise. But I am getting ahead of myself.
As I was saying, they bred different results. The Demigods for instance were one third human, one-third spirit, and the rest beast. But there was another breed a little different. They looked almost normal, like humans. Some had big ears although, and others not. But they were all hybrids nonetheless. These were the Spirits of Lemuria, their ancestors being none other than the angelic force of the time of Leo. They would be part of the Empire of the Pacific, which stretched from Easter Island to Tahiti, Hawaii, Guam, and the Solomon Islands, and throughout the Pacific.
At one time this area was more of a continent, then a conglomeration of islands. These ancient spirits were born before the Great Flood of Noah, and would wander from island to island, looking for a home.
When Atlantis crumbled to the bottom of the sea, so did the Empire of Lemuria, only a little sooner I do believe. Matter-of-fact, so did the whole world. Yes, the world went upside down. That is why you can witness such odd things like Lake Titicaca 13,500 feet up in the mountains of Peru; where I have been too. As well as the agrological site of Tiwanacu 13,000 feet up in the Bolivian Mountains; the questions that have been asked are,
“How did the lake get up there,” and “How did man cut out a 130-ton platform, to from a temple site,” which I sat on. And how did it fall to the ground.
The other question is, “How did it fall when there has never been an earth quake there?” I suggest, an earth crust movement took place. Yet man is still wondering; and how about the buried city roads off the coast of Florida and off the coast of Japan. The world was washed anew.
Exploration
These new spirits, were slightly human, but had a lot of spirit in them. They could change forms like their angelic ancestors. But while on earth they had to eat, yet could also travel through space.
Some had long ears others did not. Some were female others male. They could die, or be killed like humans. Some did leave the surface of the earth, to such planets as Mars and the Moon; and I sure to other locations throughout our solar system and beyond. For when Christianity came to the islands of the Pacific, many of them escaped to just such places.
If I may backtrack a little bit, the Titans [also known as the Watchers], who mingled with the Atlantis, and humans, also created hybrids with the Shinning Ones [aliens]. This is why the Shinning Ones felt obligated if not somewhat pushed to connect with the Nefilim who escaped into space leaving the Watchers and the demigod giants to fend for themselves when God sent his angelic force to bury the Watchers for their evil deeds they had committed among mankind.
In time even the Island Empires mostly vanished and all one can see now on the islands are the burial platforms. Again, when Christianity arrived the supernatural hermits left. These platforms now are used for gravestones and floors for houses, were once temples and burial vaults, monolithic in style, 4000 to 5000 BC where. These stone structures are witnesses throughout the islands of the pacific, that a civilization did exist, to include: Tahiti, Hawaii, Easter Island, Marques us, Solomon Islands, etc., some of this stonework looks pre-Inca. Much of these stones are considered cyclopean in nature.
Who where they
Who were these pre-Inca’s, or so called Spirits of Lemuria, others have called them many things, one name being Aku-aku, and I will not explore this too much, but others call them Tatame, and yet others connect them to the Bird Cult of the islands of the Pacific. But everything leads to the Nefilim and the Watchers if you go back far enough, and their children (I do believe), and grandchildren, the giants, and on down the supernatural road of affinity.
To my understanding there were about 500 of them left after the flood. Ninety of them went to Easter Island. Here they mingled with the inhabitants (I have talked to many of the folks on the islands concerning this issue). Many not even knowing some of their wives were of this nature, supernatural. Some played the prophet, and gave advice and told fortunes to the inhabitants. Some used their powers to take and others to kill. Many of these hybrids lived in caves. Some of the women even kidnapped men.
If you were to visit Easter Island you would notice if you dare to venture beyond the normal pathways of the tourist, notice the underground cavities between the harder volcanic strata, there rests softer deposits where at one time were, or was a subterranean river, or so it seems. It was for sleeping places of the Sprits. There you will see more then a half dozen such places, below the floors of these hug chamber walls and roofs with granite slabs. Here is where they hid, confined themselves; performed cannibalism like their forefathers the giants, the Nefilim and the Watchers, but mostly the giants of old. This is where the huge statues to their fathers the Nefilim and the Watches, were created to worship them as gods.
The Gods
The natives killed some of the Spirits accidentally. In one day 23-were killed by a madman who ate a poisonous Octopus, thus leaving 55-spirits on the island left. At night the Spirits often attacked the humans, paralyzing them while sleeping, trying to capture their soul, locking them up into their nightmares and dreams; thus killing them via heart attack or disease; making them uncomfortable.
The 21st Century
You knew we’d hit the 21st century eventually didn’t you? Of course you did. It is our time. Today some of the Spirits still live and haunt the crater of Rano Raraku, so I heard when I was on Easter Island. I have been there, and it surely could be so. If this is the case, I believe it smells like a hot spot for such activity, and if the Nefilim are still around, it could be their home. These Spirits are a link to the network of the Nefilim, and Lucifer, whom are putting into place the last battle to be. The time when the epitaph of mankind will be spelled out, and the stones come tumbling down. None of this is by accident, it is a long drawn out plan; a conspiracy. Matter of fact so complex, most of the players do not know what the other one is going to do from one minute to the next.
The Spirits of Lemuria are not simply on Easter Island, but I believe a few in Bali, and Java, and other places I have been, and Guam, and throughout the Pacific. The Bird Cult is still alive and left over from the days of Lemuria and Atlantis, on some of the Pacific islands. The statues are no more then the divinity of the angelic force that gave birth to the hybrids. The hats you see on the stones are a token from Tahiti, a mark of royalty, the leader, probability, Azaz’el, or one of his 16-angelic generals.
Conclusion
And so in closing, I simply want to remind you, it doesn’t matter if one believes in Atlantis or for that matter Lemuria. Or the Giants or even the four-worlds that were before this one: our time. The stones tell no lies, except if you are looking for lies. There was a race here and we humans did live among that race, or species. How did they get here is a question you may have to answer, if mine is not good enough. And if you think we are not living in the end times of this life cycle, than look again, what do you call it? This is not heaven on earth, but rather it is exactly what we sense, and that is the End of Days.
See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Siluk
Our neighbors throughout the centuries have not simply been the giants and ghosts and angelic beings I have talked about in other stories, or for that matter the Shinning Ones, aliens but also the Spirits of Lemuria, whom are a little different, yes indeed, a different breed.
We must first look at Atlantis. When the Watchers and the Nefilim inhabited the earth, they slept with the women of Atlantis, as well as with the women in and around what man has called the Garden of Eden where the tree of life remains to this very day in and around the mouth of the Persian Gulf, in the Middle East. This is where King Gilgamesh of Ur went looking for eternal life, found Noah and lost the gift in the waters thereabouts, another legend of sorts.
Atlantis was the Kingdom of the Atlantic or put another way, the Empire of the East, and Lemuria was the kingdom of the Pacific, and again, one could say the Empire of the West. We shall have to travel back into the time of Leo, about 10,500 BC to about 9600 BC to visit this land and city of sorts. The war of the worlds took place sometime within this time frame also. And the angelic forces that inhabited the world, which bred several forms of life, one being the giants of the Watchers, half-breeds you could say; who were half sprit and half man. Some did not need to eat, others had to; King Gilgamesh of Ur, around 2700 BC was such a half-breed, and with supernatural strength, like the demigod Hercules, whom was also a hybrid steaming from this premise. But I am getting ahead of myself.
As I was saying, they bred different results. The Demigods for instance were one third human, one-third spirit, and the rest beast. But there was another breed a little different. They looked almost normal, like humans. Some had big ears although, and others not. But they were all hybrids nonetheless. These were the Spirits of Lemuria, their ancestors being none other than the angelic force of the time of Leo. They would be part of the Empire of the Pacific, which stretched from Easter Island to Tahiti, Hawaii, Guam, and the Solomon Islands, and throughout the Pacific.
At one time this area was more of a continent, then a conglomeration of islands. These ancient spirits were born before the Great Flood of Noah, and would wander from island to island, looking for a home.
When Atlantis crumbled to the bottom of the sea, so did the Empire of Lemuria, only a little sooner I do believe. Matter-of-fact, so did the whole world. Yes, the world went upside down. That is why you can witness such odd things like Lake Titicaca 13,500 feet up in the mountains of Peru; where I have been too. As well as the agrological site of Tiwanacu 13,000 feet up in the Bolivian Mountains; the questions that have been asked are,
“How did the lake get up there,” and “How did man cut out a 130-ton platform, to from a temple site,” which I sat on. And how did it fall to the ground.
The other question is, “How did it fall when there has never been an earth quake there?” I suggest, an earth crust movement took place. Yet man is still wondering; and how about the buried city roads off the coast of Florida and off the coast of Japan. The world was washed anew.
Exploration
These new spirits, were slightly human, but had a lot of spirit in them. They could change forms like their angelic ancestors. But while on earth they had to eat, yet could also travel through space.
Some had long ears others did not. Some were female others male. They could die, or be killed like humans. Some did leave the surface of the earth, to such planets as Mars and the Moon; and I sure to other locations throughout our solar system and beyond. For when Christianity came to the islands of the Pacific, many of them escaped to just such places.
If I may backtrack a little bit, the Titans [also known as the Watchers], who mingled with the Atlantis, and humans, also created hybrids with the Shinning Ones [aliens]. This is why the Shinning Ones felt obligated if not somewhat pushed to connect with the Nefilim who escaped into space leaving the Watchers and the demigod giants to fend for themselves when God sent his angelic force to bury the Watchers for their evil deeds they had committed among mankind.
In time even the Island Empires mostly vanished and all one can see now on the islands are the burial platforms. Again, when Christianity arrived the supernatural hermits left. These platforms now are used for gravestones and floors for houses, were once temples and burial vaults, monolithic in style, 4000 to 5000 BC where. These stone structures are witnesses throughout the islands of the pacific, that a civilization did exist, to include: Tahiti, Hawaii, Easter Island, Marques us, Solomon Islands, etc., some of this stonework looks pre-Inca. Much of these stones are considered cyclopean in nature.
Who where they
Who were these pre-Inca’s, or so called Spirits of Lemuria, others have called them many things, one name being Aku-aku, and I will not explore this too much, but others call them Tatame, and yet others connect them to the Bird Cult of the islands of the Pacific. But everything leads to the Nefilim and the Watchers if you go back far enough, and their children (I do believe), and grandchildren, the giants, and on down the supernatural road of affinity.
To my understanding there were about 500 of them left after the flood. Ninety of them went to Easter Island. Here they mingled with the inhabitants (I have talked to many of the folks on the islands concerning this issue). Many not even knowing some of their wives were of this nature, supernatural. Some played the prophet, and gave advice and told fortunes to the inhabitants. Some used their powers to take and others to kill. Many of these hybrids lived in caves. Some of the women even kidnapped men.
If you were to visit Easter Island you would notice if you dare to venture beyond the normal pathways of the tourist, notice the underground cavities between the harder volcanic strata, there rests softer deposits where at one time were, or was a subterranean river, or so it seems. It was for sleeping places of the Sprits. There you will see more then a half dozen such places, below the floors of these hug chamber walls and roofs with granite slabs. Here is where they hid, confined themselves; performed cannibalism like their forefathers the giants, the Nefilim and the Watchers, but mostly the giants of old. This is where the huge statues to their fathers the Nefilim and the Watches, were created to worship them as gods.
The Gods
The natives killed some of the Spirits accidentally. In one day 23-were killed by a madman who ate a poisonous Octopus, thus leaving 55-spirits on the island left. At night the Spirits often attacked the humans, paralyzing them while sleeping, trying to capture their soul, locking them up into their nightmares and dreams; thus killing them via heart attack or disease; making them uncomfortable.
The 21st Century
You knew we’d hit the 21st century eventually didn’t you? Of course you did. It is our time. Today some of the Spirits still live and haunt the crater of Rano Raraku, so I heard when I was on Easter Island. I have been there, and it surely could be so. If this is the case, I believe it smells like a hot spot for such activity, and if the Nefilim are still around, it could be their home. These Spirits are a link to the network of the Nefilim, and Lucifer, whom are putting into place the last battle to be. The time when the epitaph of mankind will be spelled out, and the stones come tumbling down. None of this is by accident, it is a long drawn out plan; a conspiracy. Matter of fact so complex, most of the players do not know what the other one is going to do from one minute to the next.
The Spirits of Lemuria are not simply on Easter Island, but I believe a few in Bali, and Java, and other places I have been, and Guam, and throughout the Pacific. The Bird Cult is still alive and left over from the days of Lemuria and Atlantis, on some of the Pacific islands. The statues are no more then the divinity of the angelic force that gave birth to the hybrids. The hats you see on the stones are a token from Tahiti, a mark of royalty, the leader, probability, Azaz’el, or one of his 16-angelic generals.
Conclusion
And so in closing, I simply want to remind you, it doesn’t matter if one believes in Atlantis or for that matter Lemuria. Or the Giants or even the four-worlds that were before this one: our time. The stones tell no lies, except if you are looking for lies. There was a race here and we humans did live among that race, or species. How did they get here is a question you may have to answer, if mine is not good enough. And if you think we are not living in the end times of this life cycle, than look again, what do you call it? This is not heaven on earth, but rather it is exactly what we sense, and that is the End of Days.
See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Siluk
FAMILY EASTER IN ENGLAND
If you are a visitor to England at Easter, you would be forgiven for thinking that the English people have nothing much in the way of Easter traditions apart from exchanging chocolate eggs. This is because the nature of Easter celebrations is low-key and private; Easter is a time for sober worship and quiet family gatherings without the razzmatazz and hectic atmosphere that accompanies Christmas. Even the exchange of Easter greetings cards tends to be confined to close friends and family.
After the brief bright interlude of Christmas, we sink back into our torpor and endure the dull cold winter months until our first spring bank holiday arrives and gives us a reason to come wide awake. In England we greet Easter with all the relief of dusty travellers arriving at an oasis in a desert. Our desert might be grey and damp instead of sun-baked but we find the green oasis with its promise of spring and rebirth equally as welcome.
Easter is the most important event in the Christian calendar but in the multicultural society of England it is appreciated by both Christians and non-Christians for the two day Bank holiday it brings. Unlike the two days our government allows us in which to celebrate Christmas, the Easter holidays never bring us a disappointing mid-week break, they always provide us with a four day weekend. A cause for celebration indeed!
Easter arrives quietly, no fanfare, no three month long advertising campaign like the one preceding Christmas. We aren't urged to eat too much, drink to much, party too much, or do anything at all too much. We are permitted to relax and enjoy family life. There is no pressure to overspend on gifts for everyone from our nearest and dearest to the neighbour's dog. Compared to the excesses promoted in the name of Christmas, the consumption of chocolate eggs seems a small indulgence.
In England, Easter is the official start of the gardeners' year and also the time when all DIY enthusiasts, as if driven by some primeval urge, embark upon ambitious projects. If you are not interested in gardening or DIY, you have four whole days free to enjoy as you wish.
Easter is really too early for gardeners to be chancing the lives of tender plants but it is hard to resist the lure of the first real sunny days after the long grey winter. Amateur gardeners take bedding plants from the hothouses and thrust them into soil that's far too cold to encourage growth. The experienced gardeners won't gamble on frost free conditions and content themselves with planting the less decorative but frost-proof seed potatoes and onions. Gardening at Easter is an anxious time because the English weather is reliably unpredictable and even the most dedicated gardener is likely to encounter showers heavy enough to dampen his enthusiasm and drive him indoors for a chocolate egg break.
All the DIY jobs that have been in the planning stage since Christmas are lined up for the Easter break. For the week preceding the holiday, the DIY supply stores will be heaving with customers and taking more money than during any other week of the year. Then it will all go eerily quiet while all the customers adopt a kind of siege mentality and remain at home while they try to cram too much work into the long-anticipated four day weekend.
At Easter Morris dancers, who are not in the least fashionable except in spring, suddenly find themselves in demand. These troupes of dancers are almost exclusively male, rarely seen outside of small villages and are normally associated with a particular public house. Many pubs in England will have a darts team or a quiz team but there are only a few that can boast their own troupe of Morris dancers. As with playing darts, the availability of beer is an important part of this hobby. The amazing thing about Morris dancers is not that there are so few of them, it is that they have survived at all: grown men dressed in silly costumes, skipping around waving handkerchiefs and pigs' bladders to the accompaniment of ancient folk tunes have limited appeal to most of modern society as a source of entertainment. However, they have survived and have spread to places as distant as Canada and New Zealand.
If you want to fully enjoy all the old English Easter traditions, the best place to be is in a quiet village far from any of the big cities. The village church will be beautifully decorated with fresh flowers. The village Easter Bunny will hide Easter eggs for the local children to find during the traditional Easter egg hunt. The Morris dancers will leap and prance at the slightest encouragement. The village bakery will offer fragrant hot cross buns warm from the oven and Simnel cakes with home made marzipan. Easter Sunday dinner will be roast lamb with mint sauce and all the traditional trimmings. Chocolate will be guilt-free for a whole weekend.
Apart from the weather, which will almost certainly include showers, the experience of Easter in a quiet English village couldn't be more idyllic. It is only in a friendly village at this time of year that you can witness anything approaching a return to a more innocent time. There are not many places I can think of where an adult can dress up in a rabbit costume and hand out chocolate to children without having to worry about getting arrested, and men dressed all in white can skip and wave handkerchiefs at each other without attracting the wrong sort of attention. The English village is definitely the place to be for Easter. It is also the best place to enjoy May Day celebrations, but that's another story.
Copyright 2006 Elaine Currie
Elaine Currie has a Work At Home Directory http://www.huntingvenus.com/ Full of Ideas, Programme Reviews, Articles, Tips and Free Resources for everyone who wants to work at home.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Currie
After the brief bright interlude of Christmas, we sink back into our torpor and endure the dull cold winter months until our first spring bank holiday arrives and gives us a reason to come wide awake. In England we greet Easter with all the relief of dusty travellers arriving at an oasis in a desert. Our desert might be grey and damp instead of sun-baked but we find the green oasis with its promise of spring and rebirth equally as welcome.
Easter is the most important event in the Christian calendar but in the multicultural society of England it is appreciated by both Christians and non-Christians for the two day Bank holiday it brings. Unlike the two days our government allows us in which to celebrate Christmas, the Easter holidays never bring us a disappointing mid-week break, they always provide us with a four day weekend. A cause for celebration indeed!
Easter arrives quietly, no fanfare, no three month long advertising campaign like the one preceding Christmas. We aren't urged to eat too much, drink to much, party too much, or do anything at all too much. We are permitted to relax and enjoy family life. There is no pressure to overspend on gifts for everyone from our nearest and dearest to the neighbour's dog. Compared to the excesses promoted in the name of Christmas, the consumption of chocolate eggs seems a small indulgence.
In England, Easter is the official start of the gardeners' year and also the time when all DIY enthusiasts, as if driven by some primeval urge, embark upon ambitious projects. If you are not interested in gardening or DIY, you have four whole days free to enjoy as you wish.
Easter is really too early for gardeners to be chancing the lives of tender plants but it is hard to resist the lure of the first real sunny days after the long grey winter. Amateur gardeners take bedding plants from the hothouses and thrust them into soil that's far too cold to encourage growth. The experienced gardeners won't gamble on frost free conditions and content themselves with planting the less decorative but frost-proof seed potatoes and onions. Gardening at Easter is an anxious time because the English weather is reliably unpredictable and even the most dedicated gardener is likely to encounter showers heavy enough to dampen his enthusiasm and drive him indoors for a chocolate egg break.
All the DIY jobs that have been in the planning stage since Christmas are lined up for the Easter break. For the week preceding the holiday, the DIY supply stores will be heaving with customers and taking more money than during any other week of the year. Then it will all go eerily quiet while all the customers adopt a kind of siege mentality and remain at home while they try to cram too much work into the long-anticipated four day weekend.
At Easter Morris dancers, who are not in the least fashionable except in spring, suddenly find themselves in demand. These troupes of dancers are almost exclusively male, rarely seen outside of small villages and are normally associated with a particular public house. Many pubs in England will have a darts team or a quiz team but there are only a few that can boast their own troupe of Morris dancers. As with playing darts, the availability of beer is an important part of this hobby. The amazing thing about Morris dancers is not that there are so few of them, it is that they have survived at all: grown men dressed in silly costumes, skipping around waving handkerchiefs and pigs' bladders to the accompaniment of ancient folk tunes have limited appeal to most of modern society as a source of entertainment. However, they have survived and have spread to places as distant as Canada and New Zealand.
If you want to fully enjoy all the old English Easter traditions, the best place to be is in a quiet village far from any of the big cities. The village church will be beautifully decorated with fresh flowers. The village Easter Bunny will hide Easter eggs for the local children to find during the traditional Easter egg hunt. The Morris dancers will leap and prance at the slightest encouragement. The village bakery will offer fragrant hot cross buns warm from the oven and Simnel cakes with home made marzipan. Easter Sunday dinner will be roast lamb with mint sauce and all the traditional trimmings. Chocolate will be guilt-free for a whole weekend.
Apart from the weather, which will almost certainly include showers, the experience of Easter in a quiet English village couldn't be more idyllic. It is only in a friendly village at this time of year that you can witness anything approaching a return to a more innocent time. There are not many places I can think of where an adult can dress up in a rabbit costume and hand out chocolate to children without having to worry about getting arrested, and men dressed all in white can skip and wave handkerchiefs at each other without attracting the wrong sort of attention. The English village is definitely the place to be for Easter. It is also the best place to enjoy May Day celebrations, but that's another story.
Copyright 2006 Elaine Currie
Elaine Currie has a Work At Home Directory http://www.huntingvenus.com/ Full of Ideas, Programme Reviews, Articles, Tips and Free Resources for everyone who wants to work at home.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Currie
HANAMI - Japan in April
During the beginning of the month of April, HANAMI season comes to Japan. The word HANAMI is literally translated into "flower watching." The flower of choice is the beautiful SAKURA, Japanese Cherry Blossom. If you have ever been to Washington, D.C., or even if you haven't, you have undoubtedly seen photos of the Cherry Trees given to the United States from Japan.
For the next few weekends, every city, state, and national park in Japan will be bustling with millions of Japanese people celebrating HANAMI. To celebrate is quite simple. Here is what you need:
1. A SAKURA (Cherry Blossom) Tree - Space is very limited, and this may actually be hard to find. Most businesses will send an employee out early in the morning to track down a "prime location" for their after work gathering! Good Luck finding a tree for yourself! And ONLY Sakura trees are used!
2. A GOZA (a plastic mat/picnic blanket) - This should be large enough for a group of 2 or more. Never do HANAMI by yourself. You are better off staying at home! The GOZA is used to protect you from the ground, bugs, etc. As always, Shoes are NOT ALLOWED on the GOZA, so take them off before sitting down!
3. OBENTOU (lunch box) - Okay, if you are with a signifcant other, family, or friends, HANAMI is potluck style. So, you need to pack something that you can share with everyone else. If with coworkers, the business will usually buy OBENTOU for everyone, so no need to worry...unless you don't like Japanese food! Some people also have YAKINIKU (Japanese barbecue).
4. OSAKE (liquor!) - Yep! HANAMI is not complete without Japanese Sake, beer, etc. This is a time for Japanese people to have fun, relax, and get a little "red in the face." Oh, and if, per chance, a SAKURA (cherry blossom) petal falls in your SAKE, it means Good Luck for You!
5. KAZOKU (family), TOMODACHI (friends), DOURYOU (coworkers) - These are a necessity for HANAMI. Again, while it is okay to do some things by yourself, HANAMI in Japan is NOT one of them!
Places with large a number of SAKURA trees will most likely have a set up similar to a county fair with numerous places to buy food, gifts, souvenirs, and alcohol. HANAMI can be done during the day or even at night. One of the most beautiful sights in Japan is a Cherry Blossom Orchard illuminated by floodlights in the middle of the night. This is known as YOZAKURA, or "nightime sakura." Be prepared for cold weather, because evenings in April can be quite chilly!
Regardless of whether you you are able to participate in HANAMI in Japan or not, take the time to have a meal outdoors with your friends, family, or coworkers. Step away from the humdrum of life and get outside to enjoy nature. Life is too busy and too short not to learn a valuable lesson from the Japanese people...
Troy S. Hogg is the owner of Tenchi, LLC and webmaster for http://www.tenchi.us, a site dedicated to helping balance the body, mind, and spirit of its visitors.
If you would like to see some pictures of HANAMI, please visit my blog at www.japan2america.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_Hogg
For the next few weekends, every city, state, and national park in Japan will be bustling with millions of Japanese people celebrating HANAMI. To celebrate is quite simple. Here is what you need:
1. A SAKURA (Cherry Blossom) Tree - Space is very limited, and this may actually be hard to find. Most businesses will send an employee out early in the morning to track down a "prime location" for their after work gathering! Good Luck finding a tree for yourself! And ONLY Sakura trees are used!
2. A GOZA (a plastic mat/picnic blanket) - This should be large enough for a group of 2 or more. Never do HANAMI by yourself. You are better off staying at home! The GOZA is used to protect you from the ground, bugs, etc. As always, Shoes are NOT ALLOWED on the GOZA, so take them off before sitting down!
3. OBENTOU (lunch box) - Okay, if you are with a signifcant other, family, or friends, HANAMI is potluck style. So, you need to pack something that you can share with everyone else. If with coworkers, the business will usually buy OBENTOU for everyone, so no need to worry...unless you don't like Japanese food! Some people also have YAKINIKU (Japanese barbecue).
4. OSAKE (liquor!) - Yep! HANAMI is not complete without Japanese Sake, beer, etc. This is a time for Japanese people to have fun, relax, and get a little "red in the face." Oh, and if, per chance, a SAKURA (cherry blossom) petal falls in your SAKE, it means Good Luck for You!
5. KAZOKU (family), TOMODACHI (friends), DOURYOU (coworkers) - These are a necessity for HANAMI. Again, while it is okay to do some things by yourself, HANAMI in Japan is NOT one of them!
Places with large a number of SAKURA trees will most likely have a set up similar to a county fair with numerous places to buy food, gifts, souvenirs, and alcohol. HANAMI can be done during the day or even at night. One of the most beautiful sights in Japan is a Cherry Blossom Orchard illuminated by floodlights in the middle of the night. This is known as YOZAKURA, or "nightime sakura." Be prepared for cold weather, because evenings in April can be quite chilly!
Regardless of whether you you are able to participate in HANAMI in Japan or not, take the time to have a meal outdoors with your friends, family, or coworkers. Step away from the humdrum of life and get outside to enjoy nature. Life is too busy and too short not to learn a valuable lesson from the Japanese people...
Troy S. Hogg is the owner of Tenchi, LLC and webmaster for http://www.tenchi.us, a site dedicated to helping balance the body, mind, and spirit of its visitors.
If you would like to see some pictures of HANAMI, please visit my blog at www.japan2america.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_Hogg
ITALIAN CHARMS
Easter basket ideas With Easter peaking around the corner, many “bunnies” often ask themselves the same question. "What am I going to give So-and-So this year?" The answer is really quite simple. Give a CHARM BASKET!
Charm baskets are ideal for anyone and everyone on your Easter list and can be as unique as each person on your list or the basket can be uniquely you! The basket can be generic - perfect for anyone, or specific - designed with a specific person in mind. Easter baskets can range in price from modest to extravagant depending on your budget and/or how special the recipient is to you.
Everyone ready? Let's get a basket put together! I'll guide you through a few "sample" baskets. Generic - Inexpensive: Perfect for the office gift exchange (Build this basket with the gift budget in mind.)
Select the basket: You can select from a wide range of baskets (color, size, shape). Baskets are available at all your local department stores (like Wal-Mart, Target, Dollar stores and others) as well as most hobby stores (like Franks', Hobby Lobby, Michael's and others). Fill the basket: Need some ideas for co-workers? An Italian charm with a computer pictured on it.
A stack of bunny Post-Its. A goofy ink pen or pencil - you know the kind that sings or sparkles or has soap and a wand to blow bubbles! Tiny picture frames for their desk.
Neon colored paperclips. Any "office supply" type item would be perfect! Don't forget the basket filler (you know - it's the Easter grass!) Wrap the basket: Clear, colored, or decorated cellophane is available at the same places you find your basket. Place your filled basket in the center of a piece of cellophane (cut to cover the entire basket) then gather the ends over the basket handle(s) and tie with curling ribbons. Add a gift tag and you're done! Pretty simple and almost painless! Generic - Inexpensive - Uniquely you
This gift basket is perfect for anyone on your Easter list. Select the basket - see above. Fill the basket: This basket is all about you! Include things that are special to you and/or your family. Some idea? Sure, here you go!
Include Italian charms with Easter eggs, bunnies, etc.. on them. Do you make crafts? Include one in the basket (potholders that you or your kids made, ornaments that you painted, homemade placemats or finger tip towels.) Have a favorite author or singer? Put a book or CD in the basket. Have a special family tradition? Share it! Is it a special food item - include a homemade recipe card and maybe even a sample.
Don't forget the basket filler (you know - it's the Easter grass!) Wrap the basket - see above. Add a gift tag - make this one personal!
Say something like:
"You are so special and dear to me (and/or my family) that I (we) wanted to share a bit of myself (ourself) with you and your family this Easter." Specific - this is built with a particular person in mind. Select the basket - see above or to make this one extra special use a Longaberger basket! Fill the basket: This basket is all about a specific person. Custom photo charms from http://charmedbytina.com would be a perfect choice for this basket! Include things that are special to this person. Only you know this person, so I cannot offer ideas except add items that this person REALLY wants and doesn't have or wouldn't get for him or herself. The sky's the limit on prices for this basket! Wrap the basket - see above.
Add a gift tag - make this one personal! Still not sure you can do this? Let me help! Send an email to me through my web and I'll give you ideas or I can build the basket for you and ship it to you!
More suggestions - ideas Build theme baskets! Got a sports fan on your list. Fill a basket with sports stuff like an Italian charm key rings with team logo charms, towels, and any team logo items will work. Coffee baskets! Know anyone that HAS to have their java? An “I love Starbucks” or coffee mug Italian charm would be ideal. Find sample packets of flavored coffees, add a mug or two and Voila! Done. Works great for tea drinkers too, just add flavored teas instead of coffee. Order Easter Italian charms and accessories for your baskets here! · http://charmedbytina.com
Need help or want to order an Easter Basket?
· http://charmedbytina.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Marie
Charm baskets are ideal for anyone and everyone on your Easter list and can be as unique as each person on your list or the basket can be uniquely you! The basket can be generic - perfect for anyone, or specific - designed with a specific person in mind. Easter baskets can range in price from modest to extravagant depending on your budget and/or how special the recipient is to you.
Everyone ready? Let's get a basket put together! I'll guide you through a few "sample" baskets. Generic - Inexpensive: Perfect for the office gift exchange (Build this basket with the gift budget in mind.)
Select the basket: You can select from a wide range of baskets (color, size, shape). Baskets are available at all your local department stores (like Wal-Mart, Target, Dollar stores and others) as well as most hobby stores (like Franks', Hobby Lobby, Michael's and others). Fill the basket: Need some ideas for co-workers? An Italian charm with a computer pictured on it.
A stack of bunny Post-Its. A goofy ink pen or pencil - you know the kind that sings or sparkles or has soap and a wand to blow bubbles! Tiny picture frames for their desk.
Neon colored paperclips. Any "office supply" type item would be perfect! Don't forget the basket filler (you know - it's the Easter grass!) Wrap the basket: Clear, colored, or decorated cellophane is available at the same places you find your basket. Place your filled basket in the center of a piece of cellophane (cut to cover the entire basket) then gather the ends over the basket handle(s) and tie with curling ribbons. Add a gift tag and you're done! Pretty simple and almost painless! Generic - Inexpensive - Uniquely you
This gift basket is perfect for anyone on your Easter list. Select the basket - see above. Fill the basket: This basket is all about you! Include things that are special to you and/or your family. Some idea? Sure, here you go!
Include Italian charms with Easter eggs, bunnies, etc.. on them. Do you make crafts? Include one in the basket (potholders that you or your kids made, ornaments that you painted, homemade placemats or finger tip towels.) Have a favorite author or singer? Put a book or CD in the basket. Have a special family tradition? Share it! Is it a special food item - include a homemade recipe card and maybe even a sample.
Don't forget the basket filler (you know - it's the Easter grass!) Wrap the basket - see above. Add a gift tag - make this one personal!
Say something like:
"You are so special and dear to me (and/or my family) that I (we) wanted to share a bit of myself (ourself) with you and your family this Easter." Specific - this is built with a particular person in mind. Select the basket - see above or to make this one extra special use a Longaberger basket! Fill the basket: This basket is all about a specific person. Custom photo charms from http://charmedbytina.com would be a perfect choice for this basket! Include things that are special to this person. Only you know this person, so I cannot offer ideas except add items that this person REALLY wants and doesn't have or wouldn't get for him or herself. The sky's the limit on prices for this basket! Wrap the basket - see above.
Add a gift tag - make this one personal! Still not sure you can do this? Let me help! Send an email to me through my web and I'll give you ideas or I can build the basket for you and ship it to you!
More suggestions - ideas Build theme baskets! Got a sports fan on your list. Fill a basket with sports stuff like an Italian charm key rings with team logo charms, towels, and any team logo items will work. Coffee baskets! Know anyone that HAS to have their java? An “I love Starbucks” or coffee mug Italian charm would be ideal. Find sample packets of flavored coffees, add a mug or two and Voila! Done. Works great for tea drinkers too, just add flavored teas instead of coffee. Order Easter Italian charms and accessories for your baskets here! · http://charmedbytina.com
Need help or want to order an Easter Basket?
· http://charmedbytina.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Marie
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